The European Space Agency (ESA) is recruiting a Head of the Industrial Policy and Auditing Department at its Headquarters in Paris, France, with applications closing on 30 September 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST. The position is a senior A6-grade management role requiring a relevant master’s degree and 15 years of relevant professional experience.
Importantly, this vacancy is restricted to nationals of the ESA-eligible States listed in the official announcement, so nationality should be checked before investing time in an application.
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ESA Head of Industrial Policy and Auditing: Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Employer | European Space Agency (ESA) |
| Position | Head of the Industrial Policy and Auditing Department |
| Department | Directorate of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement (CFO) |
| Location | ESA Headquarters, Paris, France |
| Grade | A6 |
| Appointment | 4 years, extendable to indefinite |
| Job Requisition ID | 20872 |
| Posted | 3 September 2026 |
| Closing Date | 30 September 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST |
| Publication | Internal & External |
| Minimum Education | Master’s degree in a relevant domain |
| Professional Experience | 15 years of relevant professional experience |
| Working Languages | English and French |
| Nationality | Restricted to nationals of specified ESA Member/associated eligible States and Canada |
What the Head of Department Will Actually Do
This is a strategic leadership position rather than a narrowly technical space-sector post. The successful candidate will work under the direct authority of the Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement and will be part of the CFO Directorate’s management team.
At the centre of the job is ESA’s industrial policy and its relationship with the European space industry. The Head of Department will help ensure that industrial policy is applied coherently across ESA programmes and activities while supporting cooperation between the Agency, industry, Member States and other institutional partners.
A major part of the position involves maintaining relationships with European space companies and their representative associations. The role calls for continuous dialogue with industrial stakeholders so that ESA’s objectives and industrial participation remain aligned.
The post also covers ESA’s geographical return policy. This includes analysing industrial participation across programmes, coordinating with programme directorates and ensuring that implementation complies with the ESA Convention and Council decisions. The department head will prepare and conduct reviews of the geographical distribution of contracts and develop recommendations for programmes and strategic decision-making.
Other important areas include:
- Industrial and procurement policy, including SME policy
- Industrial cost audits and analysis of company nationality
- Socioeconomic research and evaluation of space-programme impacts
- Industrial participation and supplier capability analysis
- Cooperation with Member States and Industrial Policy Committee stakeholders
- Coordination with non-Member States and European institutions, particularly the European Union
- Integration of new Member States, Associate Member States and Cooperating States
- Monitoring European industrial capabilities, supplier capacity, performance and market developments
- Identifying emerging technologies and potential gaps within the European space ecosystem
The position also carries responsibility for identifying, assessing, managing and reporting health and safety risks within the individual’s area of responsibility.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
Applicants need a master’s degree in a relevant field and 15 years of relevant professional experience. The position is clearly designed for an experienced senior leader with substantial knowledge of the European space and industrial environment.
The announcement specifically requires experience in areas such as:
- Leading, motivating and developing teams
- Providing strategic direction and connecting team objectives with wider organisational goals
- Making pragmatic, timely and high-quality decisions
- Anticipating problems and resolving complex issues
- Driving performance and cooperation across teams
- Leadership, relationship management and communication
- Representing an organisation’s interests to external stakeholders
Experience in industry and/or ESA project or programme management is considered an asset, while people-management experience is explicitly required.
International experience is also an asset, including experience outside the applicant’s home country. Experience across diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities is likewise valuable.
Nationality requirements are particularly important
ESA states that applications will only be considered from nationals of:
Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Cyprus, Latvia and Slovakia.
The announcement explains that recruitment takes account of an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of ESA Member States.
Applicants should therefore verify their nationality against this list before applying.
Technical and Leadership Competencies ESA Wants
The technical side of the position combines space-sector knowledge with industrial, procurement and analytical expertise.
ESA lists these technical competencies:
- Strong analytical skills
- Knowledge of the ESA institutional framework
- Knowledge of the European and international space sector
- Knowledge of ESA programmes, policies and procedures
- Knowledge of industrial and procurement policies
- Experience in space programme management
- Experience managing multiple interfaces and stakeholders
- Knowledge of the European space industry
The behavioural expectations are equally significant. ESA identifies result orientation, operational efficiency, fostering cooperation, relationship management, continuous improvement and forward thinking as relevant competencies.
In practical terms, this means the successful applicant needs to be comfortable moving between strategic policy questions, programme-level issues, industrial stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
Leadership, Mobility and Career Considerations
The role is structured as a four-year appointment that can be extended to indefinite, giving the successful candidate a potentially longer-term career path at ESA.
Mobility is part of ESA’s management approach. The announcement says the position may be subject to rotation, and mobility opportunities may be offered as part of career evolution, beginning after approximately five years in the role.
ESA is also transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could result in organisational changes affecting this position. Applicants should therefore be comfortable operating in an environment where organisational structures may evolve.
Language Requirements and Inclusion
The working languages of ESA are English and French, and a good knowledge of one of these languages is required. Knowledge of another Member State language is considered an asset.
ESA describes itself as an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and an inclusive working environment. The Agency says it welcomes qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
ESA also states that it seeks, whenever possible, to accommodate people with disabilities by providing workplace support. Human Resources can provide assistance during the recruitment process.
What Happens During Recruitment?
The vacancy notes that ESA may request applicants to undergo selection tests during recruitment.
Successful candidates will also need to complete basic screening before appointment, carried out by an external background-screening service in accordance with ESA’s security procedures.
The published information also carries a general qualification that the working-condition information on ESA’s careers website is accurate at the time of publication but is not exhaustive.
Application Deadline
Applications for the Head of the Industrial Policy and Auditing Department must be submitted by 30 September 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST.
With a master’s degree, 15 years of relevant experience, required people-management capability and the specified nationality requirement, this is a vacancy aimed at an established senior professional rather than an early-career applicant.